On deck: Angels at Ranger, Sunday, Noon

Numbers game: 1,001 – Career hits for Josh Hamilton, who reached the milestone Friday night and added one more Saturday. Hamilton also got his average to .250 for the first time this season.

THE PITCHERS

JASON VARGAS

(9-7, 4.01)

Vargas will be making his final start before hitting free agency. The Angels would like to have him back, but they have budgetary restrictions, so it might not work out. Vargas had been scuffling for a few starts, but in his last outing he shut out the Oakland A’s on four hits.

vs. Texas: 4-6, 4.35

at Rangers Ballpark: 2-3, 4.47

Loves to face: Craig Gentry, 3 for 19 (.158)

Hates to face: None

YU DARVISH (13-9, 2.82)

Darvish comes into this start with 269 strikeouts, needing just one to post the most strikeouts in a season since Randy Johnson’s 290 in 2004. Darvish has allowed 20 runs in the first inning this season, and fewer than 10 in every other inning. Darvish gave up three runs in seven innings when he last faced the Angels on Aug. 6.